Extreme Ultra-Violet Lithography (EUVL) is emerging as the leading lithography technology at the 22 nm node and beyond for the manufacture of MPU/DRAM chips [MPU—Micro Processing Unit, and DRAM—Dynamic Random Access Memory). EUVL scanners capable of fabricating chips at the 22 nm node have been demonstrated in small scale production and are currently being developed for manufacturing on a larger scale. Optics, particularly reflective optics, are an important component of EUVL scanners. Low thermal expansion glass, for example ULE® glass (Corning Incorporated), is currently being used as substrate for reflective optics in EUVL scanners. The major advantages of ULE® Glass include excellent polishability (to achieve smooth, defect-free surfaces), low CTE (coefficient of thermal expansion or expansivity), excellent spatial control of CTE, and dimensional stability. As the development of EUVL systems progresses and interest in ever smaller lithographic dimensions increases, however, the specifications for optical components are becoming increasingly more stringent. There is a need for new materials to meet the anticipated performance requirements for future EUVL optical systems.